Teen violinist takes a bow at Bakewell church fundraiser

Sixteen-year-old violinist Luca Franchi and pianist Gillian Bithel will be playing in aid of Bakewell Parish Church’s organ appeal.

They will be performing in the church on September 1 at 11am.

Luca will be giving a programme which will include Beethoven’s Spring Sonata, the theme from Schindler’s List, and Massenet’s Meditation.

He holds a music scholarship at Dulwich College and recently led the school Chamber Orchestra at St John’s, Smith Square, in the premiere of a new piece for strings, Momentum, written by Thomas Hewitt Jones.

Luca has also played abroad, and in October last year, performed Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen in north Germany.

Gillian Bithel will be making her third appearance in this year’s Bakewell Coffee Concert series.

She is well-known to local audiences and studied at the Royal Academy of Music. Since then her work has taken her all over the country and abroad, giving many recital and concerto performances.

For many years Gillian has been accompanist for festivals and competitions, including the BBC Young Musician of the Year; she is also a member of the Derby Piano Quartet, (four pianists at two pianos), and forms a duo with Duffield pianist Beate Toyka.

Refreshments will be available both before and after the concert, and all proceeds go to the Organ Appeal.